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Tuesday, 20 December 2005, 09:32 GMT

Kikwete fears for Zanzibar future

Zanzibar resident hurt in political clashes Tanzania's President-elect Jakaya Kikwete has told the BBC that calming tensions in Zanzibar is his "biggest concern" after recent poll violence.

He said he feared the semi-autonomous archipelago was "drifting apart".

Mr Kikwete has officially been declared the winner of last week's poll, after gaining 80% of the vote.

An opposition candidate filed a suit on Monday claiming electoral fraud but Mr Kikwete said he was confident "there was no foul play".

The opposition Civic United Front won most votes on Zanzibar's second island of Pemba, where there were clashes between the police and CUF activists.

'Bad loser'

"My biggest concern is the polarisation of Zanzibar, between Pemba and Zanzibar. We need to do something," Mr Kikwete told the BBC's Network Africa programme.

But he pointed to the CUF's victory in Pemba as evidence that the election had been free.

ZANZIBAR AND PEMBA

Zanzibar profile

Map of Zanzibar He said that if his CCM party had wanted to cheat, it would have done so there, "where the CCM has difficulties".

The archipelago's October elections saw days of clashes between rival supporters and the police, amid allegations of fraud.

Despite the legal challenge by Labour Party candidate Augustine Mrema, National Electoral Commission head Lewis Makame declared on Tuesday that Mr Kikwete had won the election and would become Tanzania's next president.

Mr Kikwete is due to be sworn in on Wednesday.

Mr Mrema, who won less than 1% of the vote according to official figures, said the poll had been rigged.

"I am determined to prove that CCM has won these elections fraudulently. I do not care if people accuse me of being a bad loser because I know if I lost fairly I would have accepted the results," he told Reuters news agency.

Mr Kikwete's nearest rival, the CUF's Ibrahim Lipumba, took 11.6% of the vote and also alleged fraud but did not produce any evidence to back up his claims.

Jakaya Kikwete laughs as he speaks to reporters after being discharged from hospital

The CCM also retained its overwhelming majority in parliament, with 206 out of 232 seats.

Mr Kikwete, 55, presently foreign minister, will take over from Benjamin Mkapa, who steps down after two terms.

Turnout was 72% of the registered voters with 11.3 million votes cast.

Despite the violence on Zanzibar, a CUF stronghold, African Union observers say the poll was mostly peaceful and should be respected.



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Related to this story:
Profile: Tanzania's friendly politician (09 May 05 |  Africa )
Tanzania vote: In pictures (14 Dec 05 |  In Pictures )
Zanzibar president wins elections (01 Nov 05 |  Africa )
Q&A: Tanzania votes (13 Dec 05 |  Africa )
Tanzania split will go on (28 Sep 05 |  Africa )
Country profile: Tanzania (01 Mar 05 |  Country profiles )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
CCM (in Swahili)
CUF
National Electoral Commission
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